Can you believe that August is already here? The summer definitely flew by, but before the summer completely winds down, I'd like to introduce August's interview for the "Why I Love Being Catholic" series. Please meet Laura who is the face behind the website "A Single Drop in the Ocean." One thing I really admire about Laura is her willingness to tackle controversial issues. Recently, she ran her own series called "Freedom's Calling" and it was featured stories from other bloggers discussing their personal journey with NFP and learning the Church's teachings on contraception. I was happy to be one of her featured bloggers. It's a great series that I highly recommend checking out. I'll link up Laura's social media handles at the bottom of her interview. Please enjoy her answers; her last one is just about as good as it gets.

1. Are you a cradle Catholic or a convert? If a convert, where did you convert from?

I am a cradle Catholic, and so glad to have had the opportunity to explore my faith from day one.

‍2. Who is your favorite saint and why?

‍How can anyone pick just one?! There are so many saints I find inspiring, but Ven. Fulton Sheen is a favorite of mine. It is incredible to me how he so skillfully used the tools of his time (television and radio) to reach people of all kinds, in a way that was both wholly inviting and utterly challenging. His ability to share the Catholic faith while balancing truth and mercy is something that encourages me because I find that balance difficult personally and notice the tension between them in other Catholics, too. I took a class on Fulton Sheen in college, and one of the books we read was his autobiography Treasure in Clay. Two practices of his particularly impressed me: his daily holy hour, and his decision to never use notes while preaching or teaching. As someone with so much on his plate, I think we can all find encouragement that making prayer a priority is still possible for us, too. It simply wasn’t an option for him to miss that time with God, even if it ended up being late at night. It makes me more critically consider how much time I could devote to prayer if I prioritized it in a similar way.

He never used notes because he believed anyone entrusted with the role of preaching or teaching should know the topic so thoroughly they shouldn’t need notes. WOW. In a world where answers can easily be found in seconds, it seems so burdensome to take the time to dive deeply into truly knowing things. Having the integrity of this commitment is inspiring to me. Wouldn’t our world and dialogue be so different if we talked as experts only on things we’ve actually devoted time to deeply understanding? That is the level of mastery over certain topics I’d like to have myself, and Fulton Sheen shows that it’s possible and worthwhile to devote time to know what we’re talking about.

3. What has been your favorite Catholic place that you have visited? Where do you hope to visit?

I really haven’t traveled much, so I’ve not seen most well-known Catholic places. But my favorite Catholic places, in general, are gorgeous, traditionally designed, churches. I walk in and they just feel like home. I think there’s something timeless about the captivating beauty of stained glass, carved wood, and stunning paintings. Our rich artistic heritage as Catholics is not always represented in more modern architecture styles, so I appreciate finding churches with a more timeless design. Travel isn’t hugely important to me, but if there’s one Catholic place I hope to get to one day, it’s Rome.

4. Besides the Eucharist, what is your favorite part of the Mass?

Listening to the readings! I’m probably not the only person who knows I should be reading the Bible more. It’s helpful to have this dedicated time each week (or more often if you go to daily Mass!) to sit down and concentrate on listening to parts of this inspired text. There’s almost always an overarching theme or line that can be applied in some helpful way to our lives. I personally find it helpful to read the readings ahead of time to get a general idea, then just listen when they’re read aloud and see what jumps out at me. Even though we cycle through nearly the whole Bible every three years, the stories and messages are timeless.

5. What is a myth or misconception you frequently hear about the Catholic Church? What's the truth of it?

When people are hating on Catholicism, the most common reason I see is that it’s “just a bunch of rules” meant to control our lives and make us boring people who can’t think for ourselves, enslaved by old guys in hats. The truth of the matter is that if you deeply understand and freely choose your Catholic faith, there are naturally things you will and won’t do. And there’s a reason for each one. The controversial things people usually bring up (such as abortion, same-sex relationships, contraception, male-only priesthood) all have rich explanations and are not just arbitrary rules being forced on us. Catholicism is a way of life, and if we believe it is true, there are certain choices that follow from the joy and gift of faith..

6. Why do you love being Catholic?

I love being Catholic because, through my faith, everything makes sense. It tells me why I was made, where I was made for, and demonstrates the virtue we’re to pursue in the meantime. It explains that there is a God who loved us each into existence and never stops guiding us. It answers our deepest questions and fills the God-sized hole in our hearts that we so often try to fill with material things. In a world where so many people are searching for their identity and the meaning of life, I am eternally grateful for the gift of faith, and the defining role of being God’s daughter.Website: https://asingledropintheocean.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurasdropintheocean/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauramarie9473/